The Art of Love
by sansticonderoga
Summary: Growing the intimacy between Oliver and Felicity with a humble nod of recognition toward the unique story-telling art of the comic book.
1. The Art of Love

The Art of Love

Felicity is intently tapping on her keyboard as Oliver enters the Arrow lair and looks about.

Oliver asks, "No Dig yet?"

Felicity answers, obviously concentrating more on her typing than Oliver, "He's been here and gone. He and Lila had a baby doctor appointment."

Felicity stops tapping on her keyboard and looks up to explain something to Oliver.

"Hey, I'm out of here in five. Trying to catch the next train to Central City."

Oliver was feeling confident in their privacy and figured he would take advantage of Felicity's imminent departure. He walks over to a drawer and pulls out a piece of paper then turns and extends the paper to Felicity stating, "I found this. On the floor. Next to your chair."

Felicity takes the piece of paper from Oliver and looks at it.

Oliver asks, "Did you draw it?"

Smiling Felicity confirms, "Yes. I am writing a story and it is one of my sketches."

Oliver responds with curiosity and disbelief. "One? You draw. A lot?"

Oliver is surprised that he does not know this about Felicity. He genuinely requests, "Can I see some of your other work?"

This simple question seems to confound and confuse Felicity. It completely stops her from tapping away on her keyboard. She staggers, uncertainly, through her response.

"You want to see? It. My uh…. Huh. Uhhhmmmm…. "

Oliver wasn't expecting to place her in such an uncomfortable situation. He strives to create a back door she can sneak out of.

"Art—museums, galas and auctions- are actually something I miss from my days of being a billionaire. I know that art can be personal. I didn't mean to be-"

Felicity interjects. "You're not. It is just that your asking me – it - made me realize that I've never shown any of my art. To anyone. Ever. I guess we all have our secrets… even ones we keep from ourselves."

She places the drawing next to her keyboard and grabs Oliver's arm to look at his watch. She realizes that it is time for her to catch her Central City train. She closes a program on the center computer, leaving the screen black and blank and grabs her purse adding confidently, "But sure, Oliver. Yeah. You've showed me yours. I'll show you mine."

She stands out of her chair knowing that it is impossible to shove those sexually charged words back into her mouth. So she just puts her purse on her shoulder adding, "I'll be home by 7. Bring dinner." And she exits.

Oliver is pleased. His eyes are dancing the smile that he won't allow to show on his lips. He sits, almost like an excited school boy, in Felicity's chair and picks up her sketch again and contemplates the familiarity of the image. He was almost to the conclusion that it was a drawing of the clock king when his reverie is quickly interrupted by the realization that he has no idea where Felicity lives.

As though even in her absence she can read his mind, a beep catches his attention and the black center computer screen flashes bright blue. Oliver looks at the screen. One by one letters begin to appear on the screen. Oliver reads:

Felicity's Address:

324 Cypress. 7pm.

Love you

Oliver's jaw drops, and then the screen types the remaining words: to bring Tai

Oliver is walking along the street towards Felicity's home. In one hand he is carrying a bag of Tai food. He looks at his watch. It is five minutes to seven. Walking at an even pace toward the corner Oliver is passed by a guy who is holding a briefcase in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. Oliver turns the corner and just ahead sees a neighborhood market with various flower bouquets as well as fruit displayed just outside the market on the sidewalk. Oliver stops in front of one of the flower arrangement. He puts the bag of food down and picks up a bouquet. While he is contemplating the bouquet, someone very quietly lifts his bag of Tai food and walks away with it. Oliver puts the bouquet back. Then reaches to pick the flowers up again, but ultimately diverts his hand away from the flowers and reaches down to pick up the bag of food. He has a look of minor annoyance with the realization that the food is gone and he shakes clear the memory of Slade's words that 'women are a distraction.'

Oliver walks empty handed up the steps to Felicity's apartment and rings the doorbell. Felicity opens the door and steps out onto the landing and offers a friendly hello. With a knowing smile she confirms, "Lost the food at the market, didn't you. That corner is the Bermuda triangle. Without Bermuda, of course."

Olivier offers his solution, "I ordered for delivery. It will be here in about 30 minutes."

Felicity leans against her front door stating, "Well, what do you want to do until then because there's no entry for you without food. That was our deal you know."

Oliver takes a deep breath in and begins to look about, but Felicity puts him out of his misery by adding, "Ok, I owe you one for saving me from the landmine." She put her hand on the door knob adding, "But now we're even. " Then she opens the front door and invites Oliver inside.

Oliver enters Felicity's home. It is vibrant and beautiful, just like Felicity. But before he can really take in the environment Felicity directs his attention to a not so small machine just inside the entrance. With an air of confession Felicity states, "I borrowed that. Your arrow sharpening machine. Tried my hand at metal fabrication…almost to the detriment of my eyebrows. Pencils, ink good. Fire in the guest room, bad."

Satisfied with her explanation of borrowing 'office' equipment, Felicity leads Oliver into her living room and over toward a large farm table. The little amount of light left in the day filters into the room through sheer curtains. Felicity reaches just past Oliver to turn on a light. She is so close to him and he notices she smells like cherries. Oliver forces himself to concentrate on the items he sees on the table and not the intoxicating scent of the beautiful woman who is excruciatingly close to him. He mentally denotes the various objects on the table. He counts four hand-blown glass containers of different sizes, each filled with colored pencils. To the left of these are brightly colored ceramic vases filled with paint brushes and next to the paint brushes are gingham lined baskets filled with paint tubes and paint jars.

"Felicity, you are an artist," Oliver states with confidence and conviction.

Felicity counters with, "More 'unthinkable' huh?"

"No. Not unthinkable at all. I'm just surprised I didn't know this about you already."

Felicity feels like she should console him, but the best she can come up with is, "I'm not exactly an enigma. Up until today you didn't even know where I live."

"May I?" Oliver requests as he begins to look through some of her drawings. "Have you always been an artist Felicity?"

"No. I began to draw just a few years ago. I was drawn to it. Like a moth to a flame. Sometimes I'm a little afraid of it. What it will have me draw, if I just give in to it." Felicity's eyes shift slightly, but Oliver can't tell where she is looking. Felicity sits in the chair she has been leaning against, adding, "It's an intriguing relationship that I have with my pencils. I can't seem to resist their-"

"-honesty," Oliver offers as a completion to her thought.

Felicity is inclined to agree with his conclusion, but she pushes the thought aside and instead bends down and toward her left and presses on the façade of the piece of furniture that the paints and brushes are on. A shallow but very long drawer slides smoothly opens. Felicity lifts out a small stack of paper and places them all on top of the farm table.

"You should recognize most of these," she says to Oliver as he too sits down in the chair next to Felicity.

Oliver gleams with pride as he looks through Felicity's work. It is beautiful and unique. As he slowly turns through the pages he does recognize many of the images. With uncanny realism Felicity captured the essence of such villains as the Triad, The Count, Sebastian Blood, even Deadshot and Bronze Tiger.

"Wow, Felicity. These are exceptional. Thank you."

Felicity smiles her bright and beautiful smile and states, "I'm glad my first time is with you."

Much to her relief the doorbell rings. She stands out of her chair proclaiming, "The best Tai food ever has just arrived. Just leave the drawings there and I will eet you over there with delicious."

Felicity points to a small bistro table, then turns to leave the room and head for the front door. Oliver stands to walk over toward the bistro table, but he is stopped by the open draw that Felicity had removed her drawings from. Oliver bends down and pushes the drawer shut but in doing so also inadvertently opens a second drawer below. This drawer slides effortlessly open. It reveals an intense graphite drawing of a man and a woman. They are standing, their naked bodies colliding, kissing each other on the mouth, passionately. The woman has one of her arms wrapped around the man's waist; her other hand is wantonly grabbing his beautifully, broad shoulder. His left hand is firmly touching her right thigh, pulling her towards him and lifting her slightly off the ground. His right arm and hand surrounds her back completely. The woman has long hair tied loosely back. In her ear is an industrial ear piercing. The man she is making love with has particular scars and a distinctively recognizable tattoo.

Oliver finds himself muffling a gasp. He is physically aroused by the realization that he is looking at a drawing of him and Felicity making love. Through his own resounding heart beat Oliver hears Felicity's footsteps getting closer. He pushes the drawer shut with his shin and quickly slides his blazer off, folding it over in front of his waist to conceal his bulging crotch. His throat is dry and scratchy. One small bead of sweat rolls down the side of his face. He exhales deeply and slowly.

Felicity happily enters the room and walks directly over to the bistro table where she places the food on the table between two place settings. She looks over to see an Oliver who is wearing and awkward facial expression and oddly clutching his blazer at his waist.

"Oh, how rude of me. I should have offered to take your coat," she says as she steps toward Oliver with her hand extended to take his blazer.

Oliver adeptly turns slightly out of her reach and rather awkwardly states, "It's my favorite blazer. I thought I lost it once at a coat check. Very unsettling." He quickly sits in one of the bistro table chairs and places the blazer on his lap. Unconvincingly he asks, "It is hot in here?" as he pours himself a full glass of water that he greedily drinks from.

Felicity sits in the chair across from Oliver. She pours more water into his empty glass and asks, "So what do you and your trusty blazer think of my art work?"

Oliver chokes just a bit on the water, but manages to stammer out, "Very exciting." A little mortified by the truth of his statement and desperately trying to gain some control over the emotions that one clandestine drawing brought over him, he adds "And beautiful. Complicated. But true." Oliver smooth's out the napkin on his lap and continues to talk in an effort to gain more control. "You said there is a story also. Maybe another time you could tell me more about the story you are writing."

Felicity pours more water into his empty cup and smiles in agreement. As she places the water picture on the table she says, "I would like that. Now that you know where I live. You know how to get here. And can come back. Another time."


	2. Fortune Has It

Fortune Has It

Scene opens with a shirtless Oliver taking a drink of water after sparing with a tank-top clad Diggle who is wiping the sweat off his face with a hello kitty towel. In the background we see Felicity entering. Her arms are filled with large, hardcover books that resemble college text books. On top of the pile of books is a pink pastry box that she is securing steadily with her chin.

Diggle tosses his towel down stating, "The math seems pretty straight forward, Oliver. A billionaire minus one company and a mansion or two still leaves you a few million in diversified assets. Doesn't it?"

"What I know about big business you could fit in a thimble," Oliver painfully admits, walking over to meet Felicity. His face says he is happy to see her as he takes the heavy books from her arms. Felicity never releases her gaze from the pink box.

Felicity fondly takes the pink pastry box from the pile of books that are now in Oliver's arms before stating, "You can still be Oliver Queen CEO. Again. Someday. But for now you'll need to work with your rainy day 250 million trust fund and identify a few investments."

Oliver places the books down on a table and says, "So that must have been the bad news first. What's the good news?"

Felicity opens the pink box lid and holding it out towards Oliver and Diggle states with excitement and joy, "Pie!"

Diggle and Oliver just look, nonplused, at Felicity who in disbelief mumbles, "What. Sweaty, Greek godly shaped people don't eat pie. This one even has a 3.14 baked into the crust. Fun with math! And delicious too."

She is still met with the same noncommittal looks from both of them. In obvious disappointment she puts the pink box down and offers matter-of-factly, "Oliver's poor is still the average person's rich. I think you will survive the loss of your private jet, Oliver."

Diggle holds up the hello kitty towel and offers a noncommittal, "Meow."

Oliver finally leaves his pity party and joins Felicity's curiosity stating, "We just need to find a few joint ventures and some investment opportunities then."

Felicity confidently offers, "Way ahead of you. And I've got five possibilities you can run by Walter when you meet with him in twenty minutes."

Oliver looks at his watch. Felicity grabs a few papers from inside the cover of the top text book and places the papers on top of the now closed pink pastry box. She picks up the box and places the papers on top of it and hands both to Oliver stating, "Give Walter my best. And the pie. Can't leave that whole box here with just one blonde, interested party."

Felicity sits in her chair, reaches down to her purse, pulls out an apple and places it on her desk. Oliver and Diggle leave for their meeting with Walter.

Felicity takes off her glasses, closes and rubs her eyes. When she opens her tired eyes, Oliver and Diggle are entering the room.

"How did it go with Walter?" she asks, sliding a bit away from the glowing computer screen.

"He loved the pie and agreed with all you investment suggestions. He said we should start here." Oliver holds a paper out toward Felicity adding, "Kord Enterprises." Before Felicity could even grab hold of the paper in Oliver's outstretched hand, both Oliver and Felicity say the same exact thing at the same exact time:

"I've known Ted Kord for years."

Playfully, but quick as a whip, Felicity tags Oliver on the shoulder and says, "Jinx. You owe me a soda."

Oliver laughs that laugh which only Felicity can get out of him.

Diggle points to Oliver and states, "Well I know your yacht used to float in the same one percent waters as Kord, but how do you know him Felicity?"

With a deadpan face and just the slightest hint of indignation Felicity offers, "Ted was one of the volunteers at the soup kitchen where my mom and I would get our meals."

Diggle and Oliver stand silent. Felicity annihilates the awkward moment by adding, "Do you two really know that little about me? I met Ted at a tech conference in Vegas the summer before I left for college."

Oliver adeptly covers a look of shocked realization by stating, "I was at a conference in Vegas in July of 2005."

"No way were we at the same conference, Oliver. There were no scantily clad woman with strategically placed sequence dancing with poles at the convention I attended," Felicity insists. Thinking her comment came out a little harsher than she intended, so she quickly added, "Just geeks. And Ted Kord, the geek-god," she adds with a big, beautiful Felicity smile.

Oliver is a little put off by what seems to be Felicity's infatuation with Kord and asks, "And after your conference, you've always kept in touch with him?"

Felicity gets a secretive smirk on her face and offers the vague explanation, "More like on-again, off-again as opposed to always. He's amazingly brilliant. A prolific inventor. He has filed more than 2000 patents. Your bow is based on one of them."

Oliver walks over to the case that houses his bow and looks intently at it.

Diggle taps twice on the table closest to him and offers them both a quick goodbye announcing, "I will be back after I meet Lila. Don't call me." And he exits.

Oliver continues to contemplate his bow. Felicity pulls her chair back in front of her keyboard. She begins to type and quietly says, "Oliver. Not to rehash the experience of being the decoy woman you love-"

Oliver turns from his bow and looks directly at Felicity who continues to both type and speak saying, "I know it was more than five months ago. But I want you to know that I'm grateful-"

She stops typing completely adding, "-Not for the world's worst scenario of a gal's first 'I love you' moment. That was," she stumbles at a loss for words so she just repeats, "five months ago. But right now, five months later, I am grateful. Grateful to know that you trust me. So much."

Oliver replies, "To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."

Felicity's thoughts roll uncontrollably out of her mouth, "That sounds a lot like fortune cookie speak. I've read a lot of fortune cookies. From all the Thai food. And I'm a good tipper. The delivery guy always gives me extra fortune cookies."

Oliver has a smile of agreement on his face. As he walks toward Felicity he pulls a tiny piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to her stating, "This is my fortune from our dinner the other night."

Felicity holds the fortune and reads it aloud, "Trust is a greater compliment than love." She looks at Oliver and smiles then she does her level best to completely change the topic by pulling a piece of paper out from under her keyboard. She hands the piece of paper, which is a brochure, to Oliver stating, "And while we're on the topic of cutting edge technology."

"Worst segue ever," Oliver quickly and quietly comments taking the brochure from her hand while simultaneously taking back his fortune and returning it to his pocket.

Felicity pointing to the brochure and continues, "I need to attend this technology conference. It will have all the latest tech for me to catch up on. When it comes to tech, I need to stay sharp. You of all people should get that."

Oliver looks at the brochure, which clearly has a Kord Enterprise logo on it. He asks, "This conference is in Vegas. Will you be seeing your mom while you are there?"

"That's a conversation for another day. Right now I have to finish this."

"Then I will leave you to your task at hand, "Oliver states as he prepares to exit.

When he is completely gone, Felicity pulls out a lipstick case from her purse. When she opens the case there is no lipstick stored inside but rather one small slip of white paper. She takes the paper out and printed on it in red ink are the words, 'You will marry the man you had dinner with tonight.'


	3. Lucky Seven

Lucky Seven

Felicity is walking along her street. She is just about to put her left foot on the first step leading up to her front door when a car pulls up to the curb. The car window slides effortlessly down to reveal the engaging smile of Oliver Queen.

"Up for an adventure," he calls out the window.

Felicity smiles in recognition of his voice, "Sure. I love adventure," she states, adding, "But you'll need to feed me first."

"Deal," Oliver agrees and Felicity bounds around to the passenger side to get into his car.

Buckling her seatbelt she adds, "Noodle place over on East Ave just got their liquor license. Head there. What's the adventure?"

"Does buried treasure sound intriguing to you?" Oliver asks as he pulls away from the curb.

Felicity counters with, "This seems like it is going to be fun. Have we ever done anything fun together before?"

"We must have," Oliver concludes as he drives his speed-mobile away.

Scene cuts to Oliver and Felicity sitting at a table at a small mom and pop restaurant. They are both sipping a beer. Felicity has a steaming bowl of noodles in front of her. She picks up her chop sticks and says, "I will eat while you tell me what we're after. Lost art? Ancient jewels? Sacred scrolls?"

"I think I might have mislead you, Indiana Jones," Oliver states. After taking a sip of his beer he adds, "We're going to my former estate to get a book of mine."

Felicity swallows her noodles and says, "So the highlight of this evening for me just may be the free meal. But you know what, I'm ok with that."

Felicity prepares some noodles around her chop stick, but before she puts the food in her mouth she asks, "What is it we are getting again?"

"We are going to get a book that I made when I was fifteen. I buried it, in a small box, under a tree in my yard. Last night I had that dream again. It reminded me of my book. And I want to get my book back."

"That dream?" she asks continuing to eating her noodles.

"For as long as I can remember, I have been having the same dream. The first time I can remember having the dream I was seven years old."

Felicity is wiping her mouth and taking some cash out to leave on the table. She states, "I'm done. Tell me more about this dream while we are driving."

In the car Oliver begins to relay the details of his dream to her.

"The dream always begins with me digging in the ground under a tree in my yard. I am digging with my hands and just two or three inches under the dirt my fingers feel a box. I clear away as much dirt as I need to take the box out of the ground. I remain right in front of the tree, wipe most of the dirt off the box and open it. Inside the box there is a book. I never really see the cover of the book, but every time I take the book out and look through every page. There are always only 7 pages in the book. There are always the same seven words printed separately on a page."

"What are the seven words?" Felicity asks intently.

Oliver easily recites all seven words. "Brave. Brilliant. Beautiful. Best friend. Bride. Beloved. Belong."

"Sounds like a wonderful book," Felicity admits.

Oliver continues to tell his story adding, "When I was fifteen I recreated the book from the dream. I wrote the seven words on the pages and I put the book in a box and buried it under a tree in my yard."

"Why?" asks Felicity.

"I was 15 years old and I thought the dream was a message. And that the message was to make a book and bury it under a tree."

"But even after you made the book," Felicity concluded "the dream continued?"

"Yes, the dream continued" Oliver agreed, adding, "until the island. Then the dream stopped. I had forgotten about it. But just before my rescue, I had the dream again. With one difference. When I was seven and I had the dream, I was also seven in my dream. When I was fifteen and had a zit on my face or a hickey on my neck, I would have a zit and a hickey in the dream. But when I had the dream on the island, I wasn't Oliver the unshaven island castaway. When I had the dream on the island, it was me now."

Felicity was hooked by this story. All she could manage to say was, "Funky." Then she asked, "When is the last time you had the dream?"

"Last night," Oliver confirmed.

Felicity appeared confused and asked, "And what do you think digging it up will do?"

Oliver's response was factual. "I don't think it will do anything. I just I want my book. And I want you to come and get it with me."

They had arrived at the former Queen estate. Oliver puts the car in park as Felicity puts her purse on her lap and pulls out a flashlight announcing, "Have flashlight, will travel."

Before opening the car door Oliver asks, "Do you always carry a flashlight in your purse?"

"Oh, yes," Felicity confirms as she begins to share the inventory of her purse. "I've got a flashlight. Pepper spray. A Taser. Condoms."

She hesitates, somewhat embarrassed by the last item and adds, "Safety. Safety first. And good hygiene" she adds, sheepishly showing Oliver some dental floss and a travel toothbrush. She tosses the floss and the toothbrush back in her purse adding, "Sorry, that free association train of thought problem of mine is rearing its ugly head again."

Oliver pulls out his wallet and shows her where inside it he keeps his condoms. Then he adds, "We're going to need the flashlight." And he exits the vehicle.

It is pitch dark except for Felicity's flashlight beam. Oliver walks around the car to Felicity's side and opens the passenger door for her. Felicity exits the car and takes Oliver's hand asking, "Where to?"

Scene opens with Oliver and Felicity sitting at Felicity's bistro table. The box they dug out of the ground is on the table top, between them. Although it has obviously been wiped off, it is still rather dirty. Oliver is drinking a beer and Felicity is sipping hot tea.

"You do realize that you lived your dream tonight," she states.

"Some of it," Oliver concedes, adding, "but I still haven't opened the box."

"Do you want to open it?" Felicity asks.

Oliver leans forward and opens the lid on the box. Within the box is a beautiful handmade book. The colorful cover resembles a sun or a sunflower, with the primary colors being yellow and orange. Felicity's face resonates with pleasure. Then Oliver pushes the box toward Felicity stating, "It took me over a year to make that book. I tried to capture every detail that I could remember from the dream."

Felicity gently lifts the book out of the box stating in praise, "Wow, Oliver. This cover is amazing."

"I take that as a compliment coming from you, the artist," he states, bowing his head slightly.

Felicity graciously accepts the compliment with a smile.

"Can I look through it?" she asks.

"Of course," came a comfortable and confident response from Oliver.

As Felicity opens the book's cover to the first page she is surprised by the extensive art work and detail that Oliver had placed into creating the word she was reading. She had expected quickly scratched and terrible penmanship. But instead what she saw was the word 'brave' crafted in beauty, with intricate and delicate design. Felicity stared, almost mesmerized at the first word in the book.

"You are brave," she found herself saying, still not able to take her gaze from the exceptional lettering.

"As are you," Oliver stated.

Oliver took another sip of his beer just as Felicity turned to the next page to read the next word. Again written with painstaking and elaborate detail she reads the word 'brilliant'.

"But," Oliver contemplates aloud, "I am not brilliant. You are brilliant…. "

Felicity's eyes meet Oliver's and she smiles. She diverts her glance back to the book and turns to the next page as Oliver concludes, "…and beautiful."

Felicity blushes when she reads that the next detailed word in his intricate book is the word 'beautiful.'

She stops looking at the book and locks her gaze onto Oliver instead. With a playful smile she says, "OK, if I turn the page and it says 'buck tooth and braces' I am going to have a bone to pick with you, Oliver Queen."

When she turns the page she sees the words, 'best friend'. These words are again, beautifully written and elaborately decorated. Yet, written directly underneath, in blue ink and simply printed using just upper and lower case letters is the name, Tommy Merlin.

Oliver finishes his beer, offering the explanation. "I didn't write that. Tommy did. And it has never been part of my dream either. But it belongs there. We both thought that we would be best friends forever."

Felicity closes the book and asks Oliver, "Will you tell me if you have the dream again?"

"I will." Oliver agrees.

Felicity yawns as she states, "Dreams make me think of sleep. And right now, sleep is something I need to be doing."

Felicity tenderly places the book back in the box, and Oliver reaches across the table to close the lid.

"Do you have a tree in your back yard that I can borrow?" Oliver asks in a joking manner.

"I don't have a back yard. But I do have a tree you can keep it under," she admits as she stands and gestures for him to follow her.

Oliver follows Felicity through her living room. They pass her large farm table filled with colored pencils, pass the brightly colored ceramic containers holding paintbrushes and pass the gingham-lined baskets of paints. Oliver can't help but remember the sketch he was able to covertly glimpse the first time he was here. Lost in the recollection of that sketch he finds himself standing with Felicity in front of a closed door. She opens the door and gestures for Oliver to enter. Oliver walks past Felicity and into the room. He enters tentatively. It is a large room, made to seem even larger by the 10 foot ceiling and the lack of furniture. For in this room was just a bed, plush with pillows and a billowy, soft comforter. And then Oliver saw it, and it beckoned him to step further into her bedroom. Beginning the in lower right hand corner on the furthest wall and extending up to and across the ceiling, Felicity had sketched a beautifully intricate tree. Down on the floor, where the tree seemed to be growing from, was a small green rug.

Oliver walked over to the rug, kneeled down and gently placed his box there. Then he stood, walked over to Felicity and gave her a hug saying, "I knew you would have the perfect place for it. Thanks for coming with me tonight."

Felicity hooked her arm through Oliver's and as she walked him to her front door she stated, "I had fun, Oliver. And somehow you have managed to give me the gift of knowing that I'm not completely crazy for sketching a giant tree in my bedroom."

They say good night and Oliver exits. Felicity closes and locks her door behind him.

Resting comfortably in her bed, with her eyes closed, Felicity's mind echoes the words which Oliver had so thoughtfully placed on the pages of his book: brave, brilliant, beautiful, best friend, bride, beloved and belong. She rolled over, contently concluding again that it sounded like a great book.


	4. Out of Balance

Out of Balance

Oliver walks into the lair where Felicity is already hard at work. There is a HUGE bouquet of purple flowers on Felicity's desk.

Oliver walks towards Felicity and the huge bouquet stating with only a hint of sarcasm, "Do you own a horse that won a race, Felicity?"

Felicity matter-of-factly responds, "They are date flowers."

Oliver's jaw tightens and his eyes blink as Felicity continues, "Ted and I went out on our fifth date last night."

Dig interjects, "What are those flowers saying about your date, huh?"

Felicity responds, "Apparently, according to Oliver, that is was large and ostentatious," Felicity states shooting him a side-eyed glance.

As nonjudgmentally as Oliver can force himself to be he states, "That would require that I know what ostentatious means." Then he points to the bouquet stating, "The purple flowers means he admires you. The lavender, however, is more specific and is saying that you are a symbol of grace, elegance and refinement."

Diggle is wearing a look of 'who the hell are you' as he stares at Oliver. In defense Oliver counters with, "There were extensive and large gardens on my estate."

Diggle maintains the same look.

Oliver confesses, "Okay, I was trying to date the gardener's daughter. So I learned a few things about flowers."

Felicity completely stops typing, stands and takes a whiff of the bouquet adding, "It is still a very pretty bouquet. And a thoughtful gesture. Even if he doesn't know me at all."

She turns to Diggle and Oliver adding, "Me graceful and elegant? Come on."

All three have a smirk and a giggle about that. Oliver's tension seems to ease. Still with only a hint of judgment Oliver states, "Kord is a show off."

Back to typing and concentrating more on it than her Oliver, Felicity agrees, stating, "Yes. But he can be."

Before the conversation can go any further both Felicity's and the Arrow's phone vibrates. It is Captain Lance. Olivier presses the speaker button.

"Yes, Captain," says the Arrow.

"I'm here to," Felicity adds.

Captain Lance begins, "I am sending you some department video. Classified stuff from just an hour ago. We've got a new loony-tune in town. With what seems like magic powers."

Oliver, Felicity and Diggle look to each other and then at the computer as a Starling City Police Department video appears on a screen. In the video a small special forces squad is surrounding a perpetrator. But as the law enforcement team moves closer to the perp, something odd happens. For what seems like no reason, the police officers fall down. When they attempted to get back up they almost looked drunk or drugged. They are incapacitated.

Arrow states, "Vertigo?"

Lance responds, "No. Lab tests confirm that there were no traces of any drugs in their systems. And the effects didn't last either. A few minutes after the perp got away, everyone was fine, except some were nauseous."

Felicity explains, "Not vertigo the drug. Vertigo the condition. It occurs when the inner ear is affected and causes loss of balance."

Captain Lance asks, "So do you have any way to counter this?"

Felicity says, "Best way I know to counter tech is with better tech. I'm on it Captain. I'll get back to you."

Oliver goes over to grab his bow.

Felicity looks at Oliver like he is crazy and says, "Put that thing away. If this guy is using tech that disorients people, then he can disrupt aim as well. I told Lance I'm on it, because I am."

Felicity picks up her cell phone, presses what was obviously a speed dial and sits back confidently in her chair.

With a great big smile she begins a conversation. "Ted, Hi. Thanks for the beautiful flowers. Yes, we're still on. Eight o'clock. I'm not calling to cancel. I'm calling for that big, beautiful brain of yours. Your patent, number 4478472, could you send me the specs on it. I've got a wild idea."

By the tone of Felicity's laugh, and her body language, the conversation was getting personal. She happily gets up out of her chair and continuing to talk with Ted, walks further away from Oliver. Oliver can only watch her leave. Diggle is in the background, looking somewhat sad, as the distance between Oliver and Felicity increases.

Hours later the Arrow enters the lair. Felicity looks at her watch. She is pleased.

"Great," she says, adding, "You're back early."

"It's quiet out there tonight. Since the Mericuru war, the city is safer. Crime is down."

He places the bow back in its case and asks Felicity, "Would you like to go and get some dinner?"

Felicity is putting her purse on her shoulder and obviously heading out. "Sorry Oliver, I've got plans that involve a new dress, and of course, new nail polish. Since all is calm in Starling City, I'm going to leave so I can curl my hair…" Felicity realizes that she is babbling, so she quickly adds, "…and I will see you tomorrow."

With a skip in her step and light hearted enthusiasm Felicity exits. Oliver can't help feeling that part of him is leaving with her.

He turns to Diggle. "Want to spar."

Diggle states, "Are you nuts? No way am I going to spar with you now. Take on the Salmon Ladder. It's not going to be a dad in a few months."

As Diggle leaves Oliver is left standing, all alone. He looks around the lair. He is reminded of the last days on the island, and their isolation and loneliness.


	5. The BUT Guy

The BUT guy

Oliver enters the lair, surprised to see Felicity but not the least bit surprised to see a large bouquet of flowers on her desk.

"Do you even like flowers, Felicity?" Oliver asks trying to pass by the flowers with indifference.

Felicity responds quickly, "My preference is when they are in fields. Next to a lake. With butterflies or hummingbirds dancing about. But after the 10th bouquet, something breaks down."

Oliver's nonchalant attitude turns a three-sixty towards astonishment and he states, "Wow, so you and Ted have been on ten dates?"

Felicity answers quickly, "We've probably been on 50 dates." Then with what looks like a combination of either a confused or dreamy look on her face she adds, "With Ted, I feel like I have finally met my—"

Oliver practically regurgitates the words, "Soul mate?" into Felicity's pause.

Stifling a small laugh Felicity completes her statement by stating, "My 'but' guy."

Oliver can't stop an all-out laugh from erupting. "Your what?" he asks, his eyes playfully sparkling.

Sporting a beautiful smile Felicity responds, "Not the gluteus Maximus. The prepositional phrase."

Oliver creates a fake shiver of disgust and offers one simple word, "Grammar."

Felicity leans back in her chair stating to Oliver, "Let me give you an example. Ted is fascinating. A brilliant and accomplished inventor. BUT, outside of his brain, there isn't much going on for me."

Felicity pulls herself back in front of her keyboard and begins to type concluding, ""I'm a little bit more interested in his inventions than I am in him. It's total intellectual attraction. With more fun than I've had in a long time. That prototype room kicks the crap out of Comic Con badges. And Comic Con badges are one of my top ten."

Felicity is obviously packing up and getting ready to head out. Then she completely stops what she is doing and looks at Oliver.

"My mother, who was never at a loss for the existential value of coaster quotes, always would say, 'There's a lid for every garbage can.' And the disgusting garbage can reference aside. There is someone out there for me. Who I am meant to be with. I know there is."

Oliver finds himself agreeing, stating quietly, "Me too."

Diggle is in the background almost exploding with either joy or frustration.

Felicity puts her purse on her shoulder and begins to exit stating, "And the more I get out of this lair, the more I increase my chances of meeting him."

Diggle drops his head down on the table in front of him with a resounding thud.


	6. Job Insecurity

Job Insecurity

Felicity is sitting at her desk, her cell phone is still in her hand. She is looking off into the distance, but it is obvious she is not seeing anything, but rather is caught up in her own thoughts.

Oliver stops his work out, walks closer to where Felicity is sitting and with a hint of concern asks her, "What's up? Why that look?"

Felicity tosses her cell phone into her purse and confesses, "A friend of mine, Cicso, called to tell me about a job that is available over at Applied Sciences." She stands and walks over toward another computer monitor adding casually, "It would be a killer professional opportunity for me. And it wouldn't involve any actual killing either."

Oliver's face shows only an instant of shock, fear even, but he quickly recovers putting forth his best blank look face forward. Felicity knew she saw something register on his face, but it was gone so fast, she couldn't be sure.

She sits back in her chair and swivels it to face Oliver. In a both matter-of-fact and reassuring voice she tells Oliver, "Hey, no matter where my day job takes me, my nights are always yours." Felicity extends her hand up to her forehead and exchanging a knowing look with Oliver, raises one eyebrow and adds, "Besides, it's not safe to send me out into the real world where I could get sued for sexual harassment in the workplace."

Oliver sits on the desk next to her stating, "I'm no genius Felicity, but I know the difference between loyalty and harassment. Don't be so hard on yourself. I love working with you Felicity. And I love everything you say."

With the slightest bit of embarrassment, Felicity stands out of her chair and grabs her purse. "Dig will be here in fifteen and I will be back in about two hours. Got a lunch. A hungry thing to take care of." Felicity turns away from Oliver, rolling her eyes and somewhat annoyed that she seems to be incapable of telling Oliver whenever she has a date with Ted.

Diggle walks into the lair and sees a very pensive Oliver looking somewhat frazzled.

"What's that look on your face man?" Diggle's tone is one of concern.

"Diggle, I've been terrorized, brutalized, beaten, tortured and betrayed. I thought I could never, would never - ever - feel fear again. But today Felicity said something and I swear, what I felt—my initial, true response- was fear."

Diggle likes to have a little fun at Oliver's expense, so he responds playfully, "What did she say? That Ted proposed?"

Oliver finds himself looking up and inhaling with intention before responding with, "She told me about a friend of hers who is recommending her for some amazing professional experience at Applied Sciences. Work would be just so completely different without her."

Diggle looks at Oliver with amazement as his denial and somewhat snarkily repeats, "Work, huh?" Then he drops the judgment and confidently tells Oliver, "I've got three words for you Oliver. And it's not 'I love you'. Three words."

Oliver looks at Diggle is anticipation.

Diggle raises one finger for each word, stating. "High. Tech. Arrows."

Oliver is not following. "The kind that kill?"

Diggle rolls his eyes, clarifying, and "The kind that Felicity can create. Have her take you to the next level. She's up for the challenge."

Oliver is pleased with Diggle's suggestion. He is smiling and shaking his head up and down in agreement.

He is more relaxed now. He sits in a chair, leans back and places his feet up on a table adding, "Ooooh, how about a hi-tech motorcycle!"

Diggle is now in full bro-mode states, "With a side car."

"Oooohhh," Oliver states, adding, "And rocket launchers that are activated with mind control."

Diggle points to Oliver saying, "Now you're thinking."

"Not with the head on your shoulders, you're not." Felicity's voice interjects as she walks into the lair.

Oliver and Diggle straighten up, like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Felicity pleased with her timely entrance continues nonchalantly to walk directly to her computer adding, "I've got a lot to do and I've only got four hours to do it in. Because at midnight, Cinderella here turns into a pumpkin."

Oliver innocently states, "But it's only four o'clock. So that leaves 8 hours until midnight. Why do you only have 4 hours?"

Felicity playfully counters, "You're scoring points for good math and for not knowing that I just crucified the Cinderella story. I only have 4 hours because I have a dinner. To be at. At eight. Eating food." Felicity really can't determine why she always feels so awkward whenever talking to Oliver about her dating plans with Ted.

Oliver, oddly sheepishly asks, "Let me know when you'll have some time tomorrow, Felicity. I've been wanting to talk to you about creating some high tech arrows."

Felicity dead-stops what she is doing and looks up at Oliver with excitement and joy. "Sounds great. You've got a meeting with Walter at noon. So let's talk tech arrows after that. Let's say around 2."

With his usual air of confidence Oliver states, "It's a date then."

Felicity buckles down in front of her computer to get her work done before her evening with Ted. Oliver looks over at Diggle and the two share a knowing and supportive glance.


End file.
